Oregon Unit 570B Bighorn Sheep Hunting Guide

Oregon Unit 570B is one of the state's premier bighorn sheep hunting destinations, offering a rare combination of high harvest success and rugged, remote terrain across more than a million acres of mostly public ground. For hunters fortunate enough to draw a tag here, this unit has delivered consistent results over the past several seasons — a track record that few limited-entry sheep hunts anywhere in the West can match.

Spanning elevations from 4,012 feet up to 8,604 feet across 1,024,017 total acres, Unit 570B combines canyon country, open rimrock, and high-elevation basins that support California bighorn populations. With 78% of the unit in public ownership and no wilderness designation to complicate access, this is a unit where hunters who draw can plan a serious DIY hunt without needing to navigate wilderness permitting or guide requirements.

This article breaks down what the data shows about Unit 570B — harvest trends, trophy potential, access conditions, and exactly how to apply — so hunters weighing whether to spend points or apply here understand what they're getting into.

Harvest Success Rates

Unit 570B has put together an exceptional run of harvest success over the past six seasons, and the numbers back it up. In 2020, 2021, and 2022, all four hunters who drew tags in the unit connected — a perfect 100% success rate three years running. That streak continued into 2023, when all five hunters tagged out, again for 100% success.

Success dipped slightly in 2024, with four of five hunters harvesting a ram (80%), and in 2025 three of five hunters were successful (60%). Even with that recent dip, the six-year average success rate remains well above what hunters typically see on limited-entry sheep hunts in the West. This is a unit where a very small number of tags are issued each year — never more than five hunters afield in any of the seasons reported — which is standard for bighorn sheep management but also means the sample size is small enough that a miss or two shows up as a larger percentage swing.

The takeaway: hunters who draw Unit 570B have historically had a strong likelihood of filling their tag, provided they put in the scouting and physical effort that bighorn hunting demands.

Trophy Quality

Trophy record data for the counties overlapping Unit 570B shows a limited history of entries. This doesn't necessarily mean rams in the unit are undersized — bighorn sheep populations across many Oregon units simply produce fewer formally scored and submitted trophies than more heavily hunted states, given how few tags are issued annually. Hunters should treat trophy potential here as an open question rather than a guarantee either way, and rely on current herd composition and ram age-class data from Oregon's wildlife agency when making a final decision on applying.

What is clear from the harvest numbers is that hunters are consistently finding and killing legal rams, which speaks to both huntable ram density and the effectiveness of hunters who scout hard before the season.

Access & Terrain

Unit 570B's access picture is favorable for a DIY approach. With 78% of the unit's 1,024,017 acres in public ownership, hunters have room to roam without needing to lean heavily on private land access or landowner permission. There is no wilderness designation within the unit, which means no special wilderness-area restrictions or Wyoming-style guide mandates apply here — Oregon has no such requirement in any case, but it's worth noting for hunters used to more restrictive states.

The terrain itself ranges dramatically, from valley floors and canyon bottoms at 4,012 feet up to ridgelines and peaks topping out at 8,604 feet. That's over 4,500 feet of vertical relief packed into the unit, which typically translates to a mix of country: lower-elevation rimrock and canyon terrain where bighorns often winter and hold during early parts of the season, and higher basins and ridgetops where rams can push during warmer stretches. Hunters should expect steep, broken ground with limited shade and long sightlines — classic bighorn habitat that rewards patience and careful glassing over sheer mileage covered on foot.

Given the vertical relief and remoteness typical of bighorn country, hunters should plan for extended glassing sessions from vantage points that overlook canyon rims and open slopes, rather than relying on still-hunting through timber. Scouting trips well ahead of the season — ideally covering multiple elevation bands to track ram movement as temperatures shift — will pay dividends given how compressed bighorn tag numbers are and how few hunters get more than one shot at this unit in a lifetime.

HuntPilot Analysis: Is Unit 570B Worth Applying For?

Based on the data available, Unit 570B stands out as one of the more attractive bighorn sheep options in Oregon for hunters who value a strong chance of actually filling their tag once drawn. A multi-year harvest success rate that sat at 100% for four consecutive seasons (2020–2023) before settling into the 60–80% range in 2024 and 2025 is a very strong signal — few limited-entry sheep hunts anywhere post those kinds of numbers over a sustained stretch.

Combine that with 78% public land and zero wilderness restrictions, and hunters have a unit where a DIY approach is realistic rather than theoretical. The lack of wilderness designation also means no complications around access timing or guide requirements, simplifying trip planning considerably.

The one honest caveat is trophy quality. With limited historical trophy-record data tied to the counties overlapping this unit, hunters chasing a record-book ram specifically should treat this as an unknown rather than assume elite genetics based on harvest success alone. High success rates measure whether hunters are finding and killing legal rams — they don't by themselves confirm exceptional horn mass or length. Hunters should weigh this unit primarily as a strong opportunity play with real terrain and real public access, and treat any trophy outcome as a bonus rather than the baseline expectation.

For hunters holding points and deciding where to apply, Unit 570B deserves serious consideration given its harvest track record. As always, check HuntPilot's Oregon unit page for current, year-specific draw odds before finalizing an application strategy, since the odds picture changes as applicant pools shift year to year.

How to Apply

Note that the license fee is a separate cost from the application fee and must be held before a hunter can apply — this is an easy detail to overlook and one that catches out-of-state applicants off guard when budgeting for a bighorn sheep application. The tag fee itself is only charged upon successfully drawing, but the license and application fees are required up front just to be in the draw.

Given the extremely limited number of tags issued in Unit 570B each year (five or fewer hunters afield in every season on record), this is a long-term point investment for most nonresidents and a competitive draw even for many Oregon residents. Hunters should check HuntPilot's Oregon state page (/states/or) for current draw odds specific to their residency and point status before applying.

Application dates and fees change every draw cycle. For the current deadlines, fees, and draw odds, see HuntPilot's Oregon page at /states/or.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the terrain like in Oregon Unit 570B?

Unit 570B covers rugged, high-relief country ranging from 4,012 feet in the lower canyons and valley floors up to 8,604 feet at its highest points. This vertical range creates a mix of habitat types, from open rimrock and canyon terrain at lower elevations to high basins and ridgelines above. With 78% of the unit's 1,024,017 acres in public ownership and no wilderness designation, hunters have solid access to explore this varied terrain without navigating wilderness-area restrictions.

What is harvest success like in Unit 570B?

Harvest success in Unit 570B has been exceptional in recent years. From 2020 through 2023, every hunter who drew a tag successfully harvested a ram — a 100% success rate across four consecutive seasons. That success rate came down somewhat to 80% in 2024 and 60% in 2025, but the overall multi-year track record remains strong compared to typical limited-entry bighorn sheep hunts.

How big are the bighorn sheep in Unit 570B?

Trophy record data for the counties overlapping this unit shows a limited history of formally scored entries, so specific trophy-quality benchmarks aren't well established from available records. This doesn't rule out quality rams — Oregon issues very few sheep tags annually, which limits the pool of animals that get formally scored — but hunters should not assume elite trophy genetics based on harvest success alone. Anyone prioritizing trophy size above all else should supplement this data with current herd composition information from Oregon's wildlife agency.

Is Unit 570B worth applying for?

For hunters focused on actually filling a bighorn sheep tag, yes — the harvest data supports it. A sustained run of 100% success from 2020–2023, combined with 78% public land and no wilderness restrictions complicating access, makes this a strong opportunity-focused unit. Hunters chasing a specific trophy class should treat that goal as secondary, since trophy-record data for the area is limited. Check HuntPilot's Oregon unit page for current draw odds before committing points here.

How difficult is it to draw a bighorn sheep tag in Unit 570B?

Draw odds for Unit 570B change year to year based on applicant numbers and quota, so hunters should reference HuntPilot's Oregon state page (/states/or) for current figures.